International Overdose Awareness Day marked by nationwide events today

A national multi-service campaign is taking place to mark International Overdose Awareness Day today, focusing on people's experiences and the impact of stigma on recovery.

The joint-effort from The Department of Health, UISCE, The Union of Students in Ireland and See Change Ireland takes the form of an online-event experience sharing event where users are urged to create a "speech bubble to share their personal message, experience or opinion on the topics of overdose and related stigma."

This International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) 2021, HSE Drugs.ie, the national drug information and support website have raised a number of key concerns. These include; the increased purity of MDMA and cocaine, the emergence of synthetic cannabinoids emerging in vape products in the EU as well as increased risk stemming from the poly use of drugs in Ireland.

In support of IOAD, The Department of Health building, Miesian Plaza, is being lit up purple to highlight a show of solidarity to "those who have lost loved ones due to overdose" and to mark September, nationally recognised as Recovery Month.

Speech bubbles containing individuals personal experiences as well as those from service providers, family members and local communties are being shared across social media, with the #EndOverdoseIRL hashtag.

Here are some of the events taking place across the country for IOAD 2021:

Today is #OverdoseAwarenessDay, and the staff at our Riverbank centre are providing Naloxone training for those who use opioids, as well as advice and support for those in addiction between 9am and 5pm. If you use opioids, be sure to drop in. #OAD21 #EndOverdose pic.twitter.com/sZLdExRQl1

— Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) (@MerchantsQuayIR) August 31, 2021

To mark International Overdose Awareness Day 31st August 2021 we have gathered together stories of administering #Naloxone from staff & service users of @AnaLiffey. Download the #Midwest document now for more stories of saving people who have overdosed:https://t.co/v6HEJ2Femr pic.twitter.com/1FJgd68GtM

— AnaLiffey (@AnaLiffey) August 31, 2021

To mark International Overdose Awareness Day 2021 we joined the @drugsdotie, @myuisce and the Department of Health's ''Time to Remember, Time to Act–Overdose Can Affect Us All" event! For more info and support, visit: https://t.co/rLh9LHLq6U#EndOverdoseIrl #ReduceTheHarms pic.twitter.com/fkMBDNMVl0

— See Change (@SeeChangeIRL) August 31, 2021

@LordMayorDublin Launches ‘The VanaLiffey’ – @AnaLiffey’s mobile harm reduction unit. A significant service development delivering services to reduce the risk of #overdose; other drug related harms; & link people to treatment & support services.#IOAD2021https://t.co/Jhr5M3DLiA pic.twitter.com/jDe0xp8U4F

— AnaLiffey (@AnaLiffey) August 31, 2021